The Vampire's Photograph Read Online Free PDF Page B

cow-lover speaks!” Theo said, his eyes flashing at Oliver.
    â€œMoo,” Maggots added.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Oliver asked. Theo was always looking for a reason to harass someone. His father, Grady, was a fairly notorious businessman in town, and kids at school knew that he was also fairly notorious when it came to punishing Theo. Which only made it harder to deal with Theo when he was being a jerk. “You’re so stupid,” said Oliver.
    Theo slapped the papers down flat on the desk in front of him.
    â€œCheck it out,” Theo hissed in Oliver’s ear. “You’re front-page material.”
    In front of Oliver was the Sea Lion Ledger , the human kids’ school newspaper. It had today’s date on it. There were a bunch of articles laid out on the front page, but it only took Oliver a moment to see what Theo was talking about and, when he did, Oliver felt a sickening wave of worry. There, in the bottom left corner of the page, was a color photograph…of Oliver’s house. The heading read:
    In Search of the Vampires—Part 1
    A Photo Essay by Emalie Watkins
    Below that were the first few lines of the article:
    We all know the rumors, but what is the truth? Are there really vampires among us? In this exclusive story, we will search for evidence of the undead.
    (Continued on page 7)
    â€œCome on, turn the page,” Theo snapped, whipping the paper open.
    Oliver watched, feeling like he might as well turn to dust. His thoughts were swirling. When he saw a four-photo spread of his house—the overturned dresser, the broken refrigerator, the peeling wallpaper, the putrid bathtub—Oliver actually felt a moment of relief until he read the short article running beside the pictures:
    This house at 16 Twilight Lane looks abandoned. But is it? Coming in next week’s issue, my shocking photo of a real vampire who lives there.
    â€œI—” Oliver began hoarsely.
    Theo cut him off. “Dude, this girl has been in your house. She knows about the vampires. Is your family a bunch of human-lovers, or what?”
    â€œNo, we—I didn’t know she knew we were vampires—” Oliver froze, realizing what he’d just said.
    And so did Theo. “Wait, you knew this girl was in your house?”
    â€œWell, I—”
    â€œAnd you let her get away?! Ha! If that was me, I would’ve been like—” Theo bared his teeth and lashed his head forward. “Bang! Nosy human, dead human!” He shared a chuckle with Brent and Maggots. “But not you, Oliver. Figures. Couldn’t do it, could you?”
    â€œUm—” Oliver had no idea what to say. He looked frantically around the room, as if there was anywhere else to go. The entire class had turned toward the conversation. Seth was slouching as low as he could in his chair.
    And Theo kept making it worse. “You know what I think,” he said, “I think you like this human.”
    Snickers echoed around the room.
    â€œNo, I don’t,” Oliver muttered uselessly.
    â€œWhatever,” Theo went on. “If this girl has pictures of vampires, then I think she needs to get bit.”
    â€œWe should find her,” Brent added.
    â€œShe knows too much,” Theo finished.
    â€œYum,” Maggots agreed, scratching at his hair.
    Oliver knew that none of them had ever bitten a human. Theo claimed to have tasted human blood, but Oliver thought it was all talk. Still…
    â€œHey, Oliver,” Theo went on, rubbing Oliver’s head. “We can save a bite for you since you like her so much —”
    â€œShut up!” Oliver shouted, and leaped to his feet. He grabbed the surprised Theo by the tie and slammed him backward. The two launched into the air, hitting the back wall five feet off the ground and cracking the chalkboard.
    â€œNo way!” Theo shouted hoarsely, Oliver’s forearm against his neck. “Are you defending the